June 27, 2008

NBC Settles ‘Predator’ Case

by ssavage

NBC has confirmed it settled a lawsuit brought by the family of a Texas man who shot himself in the head when confronted by To Catch a Predator cameras.

The family of Louis W. Conradt Jr. sued NBC for $105 million, but the TV network declined to say how much it paid Conradt's survivors in a settlement made before the trial started, The New York Times said.

The hidden-camera Predator program is part of the Dateline NBC newsmagazine series.

The matter has been amicably resolved to the satisfaction of both parties, NBC's Jenny Tartikoff said in a statement.

Conradt, an assistant district attorney in Rockwall County, Texas, committed suicide after a Predator camera crew and police showed up at his house.

He reportedly became involved in the sting after allegedly sending sexually explicit messages to a person he believed was underage, but who actually was a volunteer for Perverted Justice, an activist group that helps catch child sexual predators.

The Times said the group was a paid consultant for the Predator series.